by Erin Trejo
“Done.”
Chapter 10
Dragon drops onto the couch next to me before lighting a cigarette.
“How’d that meetin’ go?” He asks as I bring my cigarette up to my lips. I don’t really want to discuss this, but it is Dragon. I turn to look at him.
“Bullshit, as always. You ever feel like you’re suffocatin’ in shit?” That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. Martin has that hold over me and I can’t figure out how to break it.
“All the time, brother. Life has a way of doin’ that to you. We make the best of it, though. Roc, you know I got your back. Whatever the fuck it is, however high up it goes, I got you.” I nod my head and bring my beer to my lips. I take a long pull before looking back over at him.
I tell him, “I know. This isn’t a club issue, though. As long as I can handle it, I will. I won’t drag my brothers into more shit than needed.” Dragon shakes his head but I see the grin on his face.
“I know you won’t, but that offer is always on the table, Roc. I mean it. Don’t let shit get too far gone before askin’ for help.” He says, before shoving off the couch. I let all that sink in as I watch him walk away.
I know they would help me out but I don’t know how far Martin’s reach goes. I know the threats he’s made to me. I can’t let my brothers go down for my fuck up. A fuck up I made so many years ago. I scan the room before my eyes catch on Devil’s. He’s watching Angel as she cleans up the main room. The look in his eyes is feral. I know Angel’s been around for a while but she’s still young. I’ve never looked at her being anything than the club whore she puts herself out there to be, but judging by the look on Devil’s face, he has. His eyes track her every movement. It amuses me to watch him so lost in someone. Devil is a tough son of a bitch with an exterior made of brick but that look right there, that’s something deeper. He must feel my glare because his eyes come to meet mine. I won’t push him on that shit. I just raise my beer in a silent salute. He nods once before turning away from me.
“What’s up?” Ghost asks when he drops down next to me.
“Do you believe in fate, Ghost?” He seems to ponder that for a minute before opening his mouth.
“Sometimes, I guess. Fate can be a shaky thing, ya know? You think you’ve found somethin’ great, but it’s ripped away in the blink of an eye. Sometimes you just have to rock fate’s boat, brother.” I lay my head back and let that sink in. Is that what Aria is? Could she be fate knocking on my door?
***
I stake out this Malcolm idiot from the front seat of my truck. I want a quick kill so I can get the fuck out of here. The thing that pisses me off the most about this shit is that I don’t get paid. Yeah, insane, right? I want to be paid to kill people? I know guys that make good money doing this type of shit. Me? I do it to keep my ass out of prison. Consider the irony in that situation. I spot the guys coming out of the restaurant. There’s only two of them and this street isn’t that busy. It should be a quick shot, and I’m gone. If only my plans worked out that way. I climb out of the truck, checking the gun in the back of my jeans as I walk toward them. As I’m about to walk up the sidewalk, I suddenly stop.
“What−the−fuck?” I whisper the words to myself when I see the woman’s face that comes out behind them. Her eyes instantly find mine. Pure confusion etches across both our faces. I shake my head before turning to get back in my truck.
“Roc. Hey, wait a second.” I don’t know what to say. Why is she everywhere I am? Why is she always there when I need to handle something? Is this some kind of sick coincidence?
“Roc!” She yells again. This time her hand lands on my shoulder before I drop my head forward.
“How do you know about this?” I don’t turn to look at her. She has to be involved somehow. That’s the only explanation as to why she’s everywhere.
“What? Know about what?” I spin around to look at her now. Her eyes are wide but she’s confused.
“How do you know about me?” I growl between my teeth. Aria tries to take a step back but I don’t let her. I grab her shoulders before spinning her around, slamming her against the side of my truck.
“Tell me!” Hollering in her face, she blinks back tears that fill her eyes.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She’s lying. She has to be lying. She’s here. She was there, outside Martin’s office. A man’s voice comes from behind us.
“Everything ok, Aria?” I glance over my shoulder to see Malcolm standing there with the look of fear etched across his face. What the hell is going on? I release my grip on her before grabbing the gun from the back of my jeans.
“You don’t know? Huh? Well, watch this.” Aiming it right at Malcolm’s head, I pull the trigger. Malcolm’s blood splatters as his body drops to the ground. Aria’s screams pierce the silence. I spin around quickly to grasp her shoulders.
“Tell me again−how you don’t know anything!” She can’t look at me. Her body trembles in fear. What the hell am I doing? Running my hand through my hair, I can hear the sirens. I grab Aria and shove her into the truck before climbing in behind her. This night has gone to complete shit.
Chapter 11
I tug at my hair as I walk around the main room. Aria sits in the corner curled into herself in tears. I just killed someone right in front of her. What kind of monster am I, to ruin someone like her? The more I pace, the worse I feel. I called Ghost but they were all out on a run for Dragon tonight. He said he’s on his way back, but I hated to drag him into this, too. My eyes keep slipping back over to that poor lost girl that I’ve managed to break, in the few weeks of knowing her. All the goodness that I saw in her, I ruined it. I took every last drop of it that I had no right to touch. Angel walks into the room looking at me, and then over at Aria, but she just grins.
“You need something, Roc?” Her hands land on my chest before I can think to move her.
“Do I look like I need somethin’?” My hand still tugs at my hair. This is overwhelming me. I can’t even think straight.
“Actually, yes, you do.” Her fingers travel lower, just grazing the top of my jeans. My mind is so far gone; I don’t think to stop her. In fact, I don’t think anything at all. Before I know what’s going on, Aria is on her feet, yanking Angel back by the hair.
“Stupid whore!” Aria screams before pulling Angel back, her fist slamming into her face. It’s an all-out cat fight that has my dick stirring.
“Holy shit! This why you call me?” Ghost appears, just like his name, out of thin air next to me.
“Get Angel!” I slap him in the chest but he just chuckles. Ghost reaches down to pull Angel up. My arms wrap around Aria’s waist, pulling her back into me.
“Now ladies−mud wrestlin’ is on the weekends around here.” Ghost says. He laughs likes it’s funny, but I don’t.
“Let me go, you fucking murderer!” Aria screams louder. Ghost’s smile drops before looking over at me.
“That’s why I needed you.” His slight nod is all I needed.
“Get her cleaned up. I’ll be back.” Ghost says with a nod toward Aria. I nod back as he carries Angel in the opposite direction. She keeps fighting me. If she doesn’t stop, I will tie her ass to the bed.
“Fuckin’ move−one more time,” I growl in her face. She turns to me giving me one hell of an evil grin.
“Or what? Are you going to kill me, too?” I wipe the blood from my mouth with a rag before looking back at her.
“Stop givin’ me a Goddamn reason to!” I can’t deal with this shit.
“You killed him. Why did you kill him?” I drop the rag onto the bed before pulling away. I lean back on the headboard not able to look at her anymore.
“I had my reasons. My question is, why were you with him?” Aria laughs before sitting up. She shoves herself off the bed, looking for a way out. When she heads toward the door I stand up. I’m faster. Her hands slam into my chest, almost making me laugh.
“You want answers?” She
screams. I nod but she doesn’t talk. Her hands slam into my chest again before she screams.
“Fuck you! How’s that for an answer! Fuck you, Roc!” I grab her wrists, pulling her roughly into my chest.
“I want to know why you were with Malcolm.” Her eyes taunt me. They want me to lose control, hell; everything in my body wants to lose control.
“I don’t have to tell you anything. Why don’t you go ask that slut out there, maybe she knows.” I squeeze her wrists tighter. I keep repeating the same mantra over and over in my head. She isn’t like you, Roc. She’s better than this.
“She has nothin’ of interest for me.” Aria runs her tongue over her lips and hell help me, if I don’t want to taste them again.
“That’s not what it looked like to me.” Why is she testing me right now?
Knocking on the door is about the only thing that saves us both. I don’t know how far she can push me before I snap and lose it. Releasing her wrists, I push her back slightly. I pull the door open to see Ghost. He stands there with a smirk on his face.
“Let’s get to it.” He looks at Aria before looking back at me.
“What do you need me to do, Roc?” He asks. Ghost nods toward Aria in a silent question. Her eyes widen with fear. Laughing hysterically, Aria’s eyes water. In a few short strides, I make it back in front of her. My hand wraps around the back of her neck, her eyes coming to focus on mine.
“If I wanted you dead, I would kill you myself.” I smugly tell her.
***
My words were left hanging in the air. I locked Aria in my room, but made sure Ghost and I didn’t venture too far down the hallway. I’m not in the mood for a chase. I take a deep breath before forcing myself to look over at him.
“What the hell’s goin’ on, Roc?” He asks me full of concern.
“Some shit happened years ago, man. We were younger. Fuck!” I punch the wall next to me. I don’t know how to tell him this shit.
“Spit it the fuck out, brother.” I flex my fist before I turn and lean against the wall.
“The murder I committed when we first met, in the alley? You remember?” Ghost narrows his eyes before nodding.
“That was fuckin’ years ago, but yeah. That was the first time I met you, robbin’ that store,” He says, a slight smile crossing his face. It all fades when he looks at me, though.
“I didn’t want to get any of you involved, Ghost.” This is hard for me to say. I don’t want to fucking say it. If I say it, that makes it all the more real, and I don’t want the guys involved. His hand lands on my shoulder.
“Look, whatever it is, Roc, we got this. We’ve been boys since that day. Nothin’ changes, man.” He says looking at me seriously.
“You ran after the other guy. I killed the one in the alley. You asked me why I didn’t stay there when you found me later that night.” Ghost nods his head, knowing that part of the story. “Fuck! A guy saw me. He saw you. He saw the cut you had on. He pulled my ass inside that building. He made me a deal.” I tell him. Ghost’s face pales as he looks at me. Shaking his head, he has to know something isn’t right.
“What kind of deal?” He asks. Shaking my head once more, I don’t want to involve him. “What kind of deal, Roc?!” He snaps at me. I take a deep breath and ready myself to tell him.
“He wouldn't pull the security footage if I worked for him. He would keep the shit to himself. All I had to do was work for him on the side.” I tell him the truth but I can see how confused he is.
“That was what? Ten years ago, Roc.” He asks. I nod my head. I’m very clear as to how long it was.
“You been workin’ for him on the side the whole time?” Ghost looks taken aback but I nod.
“Yeah, he threatened me and the club. I wouldn’t let him fuck you guys over.” I tell Ghost. Ghost runs his hand through his hair before his eyes come back to mine.
“This is my fault. This shit is on me, Roc. You shouldn’t have to take the fall.”
“Fuck that, Ghost! You were all I had. Even on that day. We just met, and I knew you were family. I’ll take that load for family. It isn’t about that anymore, though. It’s more. He has a fuckin’ hold over me.” Ghost knows what I mean. He doesn’t even need to ask.
“What about her? Where the hell did she come in?” He asks. Isn’t that the question.
“She keeps poppin’ up, brother. I don’t fuckin’ understand it. Everywhere I go, there she is.” His face is pale. He has something to say, and I’m not going to like it.
“She involved at all? Do you know?” I knew he was going to ask, I shake my head because I’ve thought about that, too.
“Too many things that are coincidence, brother.” Ghost says and I know he’s right. I know what needs to be done.
Ghost nods toward my door before he says, “You want me to handle her?” My stomach sinks.
“I don’t think I can do it.” He knows what I mean. I can’t hurt that girl. I don’t have it in me.
“Let me talk to her.” Ghost nods, as I turn and head back toward my room. My stomach rolls inside of me. Leave no witnesses. That’s the golden rule. Witnesses will get us all killed. I know this, but this is Aria.
Chapter 12
When I walk into the room, Aria is sitting in the middle of the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest. Tears spill down her cheeks. She’s huddled into herself. It rips me apart inside that she had to see me the way I am, the monster I am.
“I don’t know how to tell you I’m sorry, Aria.” I fiddle with my hands not knowing what to do with myself. I don’t want to hurt her, that is the farthest thing from my mind.
“So, that’s it?” Her sniffles eat me alive.
“We have a strict rule here. No witnesses.” Aria nods her head as if she understands me. She has no clue how this world works, and it’s my fault that she’s in the middle of it.
“You know I’d never say anything, Roc.” Her puffy red eyes lock onto mine. My world is crumbling around me.
“I know that. They don’t.” My tone is calm and my voice is low. This isn’t me. I don’t hurt women. I don’t kill women! Aria swallows hard before pushing herself up. She walks slowly toward me while my heart's beating rapidly in my chest. Her hand comes up to her neck, snapping the chain that I’ve seen her wearing. She presses it into my hand.
“You made me rethink a lot about my life in this short time. You gave me the chance to breathe and let go for once. This was my mom’s. It’s all I really had of hers. I like to think it has brought me luck. Until now anyway. Look, I just wanted to say that when I first met you, I thought there was something else to you. I thought you were hot as hell but you made me feel differently. That really meant a lot to me. Thank you, Roc.” Aria says before pressing up on her toes. She kisses me slowly, making my world spin.
Aria pulls away from me slowly. All the breath is ripped from my lungs when I hear that door close behind me. I look down at the chain in my hand. Who the fuck am I to take away her life? I killed that man. I should take the wrath of whatever comes my way. Even if that means serving a prison sentence. I turn quickly on my heel and rush toward the door.
As soon as I hit the hallway, I yell, “You have to tell. You have to go to the police.” Ghost and Aria spin around at the same time to look at me.
“What the fuck, Roc?” Ghost is confused but he doesn’t understand. If I can get out from under Martin this way and keep Aria alive, I’ll do it.
“You leave here. You go straight to the police. You tell them you saw Rocland Bishop shoot that man,” I say. Aria walks toward me slowly, as Ghost runs his hand through his hair.
Her hands come up to my cheeks and that touch right there is all the reason in the world to do this.
“I can’t,” She says softly. I shake my head before I grab her shoulders. I give her a slight shake, making her look at me.
“You have to. I can’t kill you. I don’t want to. This isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I drug you into this shit. Now, look at me
. You have to go to the police. Tell them you saw Rocland Bishop kill him. When they ask you why you took so long to come forward, you tell them you were scared. I threatened you. Understand?” I need her to say yes. I need her to do this for me. Tears well up in her eyes again. I hate it.
“Say it, Aria. Say it!” I shake her a little harder before she blinks her eyes rapidly.
“Ok. I will.”
***
Ghost paces the room. They should have been here by now. He called Dragon and let him know what was happening. We decided it was better if they didn’t come back right away.
“What the fuck is takin’ them so long?” I check the clock once again. They should have been here by now.
“The fuck if I know,” Ghost says bringing the bottle of beer to his lips. He takes a long pull before he speaks again.
“Can I ask you somethin’?” I nod. He never needs to ask me that.
“What do you feel with her?” Huffing out a breath, that’s hard to say.
“I don’t know, brother. She makes me feel different. Cared about. I just fuckin’ met her, and I feel like she could hold every secret I’ve ever had,” I say with all honesty. Ghost nods as if he knows what I mean. Maybe he does. I was around when his girlfriend left him. It was hell on earth for him.
“This Tomlin fuck, what’s his angle?” Ghost asks before passing me a cigarette.
“I don’t know, Ghost. He’s always kept me at arm’s length. He only calls me when he needs someone to become dead.” Ghost chuckles. He blows out a breath before asking, “I don’t get it. Why hold that over your head? Who was the prick in the alley, then?” I shake my head. I have no clue who he was or how he played any part with Tomlin.
“Promise me you’ll keep an eye on her.” I tell Ghost. Ghost looks torn, as what to even say right now.
“Keep an eye on her yourself.” Dragon’s voice booms through the room. I spin around to him and the other guys coming through the front door.